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Stereotactic radiosurgery, microsurgery, and expectant management of acoustic neuroma: basis for informed consent.

Wackym PA

Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences,Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 9200 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee WI 53226, USA. wackym@mcw.edu

There is diversity in the techniques and instrumentation used to perform stereotactic radiosurgery. The field continues to evolve rapidly, and improvements are being made in accuracy, effective radiation dose, and parameters necessary to maximize patient outcome. Stereotactic radio-surgery, like any other treatment modality, has advantages and disadvantages that must be discussed with a patient who has an acoustic neuroma or other skull base tumor. An informed decision to pursue observation,microsurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, or a combination of these methods must be made, and it remains the responsibility of the surgeon to provide a balanced view of the relative advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Published 11 July 2005 in Otolaryngol Clin North Am, 38(4): 653-70.
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